Salmond Referendum Memoir Due Out

Former first minister Alex Salmond is to tell his side of the story of the Scottish referendum in a new book only months before May's general election.

The politician, who stood down as Scotland's first minister after last year's referendum defeat, will publish The Dream Shall Never Die: 100 Days That Changed Scotland Forever on March 19.

He said: "The referendum changed Scotland for ever. This is my story of the campaign and hopes for the future of the nation.''

The book's title is inspired by his farewell speech after the campaign which itself was an echo of US politician Edward Kennedy's famous speech to the 1980 Democratic Party convention when he conceded defeat in his bid to be its presidential candidate.

Publishers William Collins said the book will tell the "compelling inside story'' of the campaign in a ``frank, honest and revealing'' way.

The firm's David Roth-Ey said: "For anyone who was inspired by the indomitable spirit of the Scottish independence campaign, Alex Salmond's The Dream Shall Never Die is a must read: a master class in the power of progressive politics by one of the biggest figures in UK politics.''